Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-03-18
GREAT M EN-.
The Difficulties OF Including Famous Peov
Dle In This CafpVnry.

INC blhculties OF Including Famous REQ
pie In This Category.
To draw up list of the men and
women to whom the title great" should
properly be granted in history was
rather favorite diversion some time
ago among the large class OF the public
who crave such futile occupation. How
very few persons have lived within all
the ROns of human memory whom
mankind with one accord pronounces
to have been great The parson, the
doctor, the soldier and the lawyer, II
they be devoted to their professions.
will each furnish list Greed will
betray itself. Fancies and cranks and
pedantries innumerable will assert their
supremacy. But in the result, if choice
were limited to score Of names,
selected in all lands and ages, it is like
~ that two alone, or three at most,
would be found in every list if score
of persons competed. No greater APP
proach to unanimity could be looked
for.
OF those who, by hypothesis, are de-
clayed on all hands to be worthy Of
respect and admiration for all time,
every one, it is probable, will be n war
rior, but not warrior and nothing
else. For instance, neither Marlbor-
ough nor Wellington would be found in
the list of the accepted, nor even Fred
erick of Prussia, though in the opinion
of experts they showed military genius
as great as Bonaparte's, and their
lives were certainly more useful to man.
kind. But certain faculties or
semblances are needed beyond pre-
emincnce in any special art to
WIN the abiding enthusiasm of the
human race If the followers of each
profession were sole Judges, they would
eXalt the memory of certain specialists
quite unfamiliar to the public. But in
R civilized society not every man is a
soldier, still less a doctor or theolo-
gan; and the multitude is by no means
impressed with the greatness that over
whelms a learned society His mind,
his fame, his actions must all be great
to bear scrutiny. The public takes a
large view of a man before recognize
ing him to be supremacy close. Henri
Quatr seldom won a battle, and the
elder Due de Guise seldom ost one.
Each was called grand in his lifetime,
but the popular voice speedily decided.
JimOur was no savage marauder, as
the sehool-bOoks used to teach, but
history reserved its distinction for his
successor in the fifth generation.
though Achbcr did not rival him in
conquests; but there is no sound reason
why the public choice should settle
upon warriors. Great deeds over
shadow the small weaknesses OF
humanity. Three men, it may be said,
have conquered the world within his
toric times. Scholars find evidence
enough that Alexander's mind was ill
balanced, his moods often childish, his
vanity gfotcsque, his temper unregu-
lated, his disposition coarse. Every
schoolbov, 10 use the consecrated
phrase. is aware that Julius Caesar
was false. vicious and desperate,
even beyond rival in his abandoned
age. OF Napoleon, who is ignorant
that his Stiffness and meanness were
almost equal to his grandeur? But VIC
admit the greatness of these men "all
the same" The glow that surrounds
.heir public achievements hides the
folly, sin, or pettishncss Of their indi-
yidual character If Cromwell had
run his career in France or Germany he
would have been reckoncd among the
Frandest of mankind, but in the com
petition of lists suggested he would
hardly have a place among the half
dozen. though every voter was an
/ Englishman. Ignorance and enthusi
asm combined would have wover
| legends and romance around him.
idealHing, magnifyng. suppressing and
inventing until the plain, stTaighdor
ward squire was transformed into ar
! epic hero. Something akin TO this wa:
done in Ireland, though in the reverse
but Cromwell's countrymen were toe
well informed. They or their repre-
sentatives who transmitted the repor
had watched the member for Cam
bridge, session after session. during
sixteen years, before he sprang into
worldwide renown at Marston Moor
The description which Sir Philip War
wick wrote. or others like il. had cir
culated far and wide while his fame wa
| growing in the House. Not member
only. but their constituents, knew th'
gentleman. very ordinarily apparelcd
for it was a plain cloth suit, which
seemed 10 have been made by an il
country tailor. His linen was plair
and not very clean; and | remember :
speck or two of blood upon his LITTLE
I band. which was not much larger thar
his collar. His hat was without hat
/ band. His stature was Of good size
his sword stuck close to his sidc hi
countenance swollen and reddish hi
voice sharp and untunable, and hi
eloquence full of fervor" An excel
lent sketch, invaluable to us now, bu
killing to popular enthusiasm. Gu
historians have almost ceased to cal
Alfred ''the great, since he and hi
works have been better understood
! Most admirable they were, but peopl
feel that the best Saxon king belonged
to the class of specialists. " So lon!
rs the world accredited to him all tn
grand principles OF English freedom
and government no one disputed hi
title; but one by one those legend
have been questioned or diSproved
The figure of Alfred remains a gallan